Kurt Wise

Dr. Kurt Wise

Dr. Kurt Patrick Wise is an American young earth creationist with a background in paleontology.

Noted for being a young-earth Creationist, he obtained his degree from Harvard University under the advisement of the famous evolutionist Stephen Jay Gould. Wise teaches at Bryan College, named after William Jennings Bryan who argued against evolution in the Scopes Trial. In April 2006, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary announced that Wise will lead the seminary's Center for Theology and Science, replacing fellow creationist William Dembski. [1]

Controversy and criticism

Wise has been called the "most honest" creationist by Richard Dawkins, as opposed to others who purposely deceive their audiences (according to Dawkins).[2] Yet, he is criticized for his predetermined conclusions in that Wise wrote "if all the evidence in the universe turns against creationism, I would be the first to admit it, but I would still be a creationist because that is what the Word of God seems to indicate."[3] Thereby, Wise openly admits no matter how much evidence proves evolution and disproves creationism, he plainly admits he would still be a creationist. Richard Dawkins responded that "this leaves me, as a scientist, speechless. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have a mind capable of such doublethink."[4] This is because "we have it on the authority of a man who may well be creationism’s most highly qualified and most intelligent scientist that no evidence, no matter how overwhelming, no matter how all-embracing, no matter how devastatingly convincing, can ever make any difference."[5]

However, Wise suggests this is not "doublethink" because he does not think the evidence is going to "prove" evolution in any way.^{[citation needed]} Wise contends "evidence" is merely data with an interpretation, and thus Wise begins with "the Word of God" whereas evolutionists begin with the assumption that there is no such revelation.^{[citation needed]} It is from those assumptions of worldview, Wise contends, that determine what one then sees as evidence "for" or "against" one view or the other.^{[citation needed]}

Education

Ph.D. Invertebrate Paleontology, Harvard University
M.A. Geology, Harvard University
B.A. Geology, University of Chicago

External links

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